Crispy leaves crunching as I walk with Dublin...
Breathtaking colors in jewel tones outside the window of my house and my car...
Delicious temptations to enjoy cinnamon-sugar donuts and fresh apple cider...
Fall is here at last!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Fall is here at last!
Crispy leaves crunching as I walk with Dublin...
Breathtaking colors in jewel tones outside the window of my house and my car...
Delicious temptations to enjoy cinnamon-sugar donuts and fresh apple cider...
Fall is here at last!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Birthday Thanks
I love homemade cards from my kids. Get a load of this one from J, my youngest-- my 9 year old, cutie-pie, nut. She thinks she is so funny!
My sweet husband knows how much I love to eat out (and eat bacon) and so he took the morning off and fed me bacon and eggs! And then we had a delightful hour browsing through the bookstore (scoping out the books we want to order from the library next).
My oldest son sent me a text message during the day telling me Happy Birthday and that he loved me. It isn't exactly a cute little homemade card on construction paper but he is 18 next month and I will take every bit of that I can get!
M, my second oldest, has always had the ability to communicate love and he didn't fail me now that I am 39.
And I love mani's and pedi's. J took care of my hands and C took the feet, complete with a lovely massage and clumpy nailpolish. It was perfect!
I also love steak, chocolate cake, York Peppermint Patties, and presents...they also made an appearance at my big party.
I feel so very loved! Thank you, dear God, for my wonderful family!
My sweet husband knows how much I love to eat out (and eat bacon) and so he took the morning off and fed me bacon and eggs! And then we had a delightful hour browsing through the bookstore (scoping out the books we want to order from the library next).
My oldest son sent me a text message during the day telling me Happy Birthday and that he loved me. It isn't exactly a cute little homemade card on construction paper but he is 18 next month and I will take every bit of that I can get!
M, my second oldest, has always had the ability to communicate love and he didn't fail me now that I am 39.
And I love mani's and pedi's. J took care of my hands and C took the feet, complete with a lovely massage and clumpy nailpolish. It was perfect!
I also love steak, chocolate cake, York Peppermint Patties, and presents...they also made an appearance at my big party.
I feel so very loved! Thank you, dear God, for my wonderful family!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Magic Number 39!
Birthdays were always so fabulous for me as a kid. The youngest of five, it was my chance to have all the love lavished on little ole me that I could possibly want. Good food and gifts and attention. Just for me! All for me!
And whatever age I was turning, I just knew was going to be incredible. Just because I was that magic number. Oh, the possibilities of what that next year would hold.
I would even practice writing out my new age in the weeks preceding the big day. (I think the number 8 was my favorite because it is such a swirly and decorative number).
Today I turned 39. And somehow, and I know this will come as a shock, birthdays just aren't what they used to be when I was a kid and the number 39 doesn't exactly invite visions of adventure to dance through my head.
When I think of the number 39 I think of:
*the times I have told myself in the last week that getting older is no big deal; in fact it is great, and that I will do so gracefully and with a zest for what is before me...blah, blah, blah...
*the number of vitamins and supplements I require to function with energy in a day (approximately, of course!)
*pounds I would like to lose before I am 40 (no, not really, but sometimes 9 pounds feels like 39)
Honestly, I think my "issue" lies in the fact that I don't typically FEEL like I am getting older but my brain is telling me that today I am in fact older. Yesterday I was in the middle-late-30's category. But today I am a late-30's-pushing-into-40's.
For those of you who have reached or surpassed this number of years in your life, feel free to slowly shake your head in amused pity/sympathy as I grapple with this minor transition. For those of you yet to reach this milestone of your life, feel free to smugly smile at my expense...because your day is a-comin'!
Note: My sweet husband and family are treating me like a queen for which I feel so blessed!
And whatever age I was turning, I just knew was going to be incredible. Just because I was that magic number. Oh, the possibilities of what that next year would hold.
I would even practice writing out my new age in the weeks preceding the big day. (I think the number 8 was my favorite because it is such a swirly and decorative number).
Today I turned 39. And somehow, and I know this will come as a shock, birthdays just aren't what they used to be when I was a kid and the number 39 doesn't exactly invite visions of adventure to dance through my head.
When I think of the number 39 I think of:
*the times I have told myself in the last week that getting older is no big deal; in fact it is great, and that I will do so gracefully and with a zest for what is before me...blah, blah, blah...
*the number of vitamins and supplements I require to function with energy in a day (approximately, of course!)
*pounds I would like to lose before I am 40 (no, not really, but sometimes 9 pounds feels like 39)
Honestly, I think my "issue" lies in the fact that I don't typically FEEL like I am getting older but my brain is telling me that today I am in fact older. Yesterday I was in the middle-late-30's category. But today I am a late-30's-pushing-into-40's.
For those of you who have reached or surpassed this number of years in your life, feel free to slowly shake your head in amused pity/sympathy as I grapple with this minor transition. For those of you yet to reach this milestone of your life, feel free to smugly smile at my expense...because your day is a-comin'!
Note: My sweet husband and family are treating me like a queen for which I feel so blessed!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
A Contemplative Moment
The thing about a quiet and empty house is that in the silence you can start to hear your own thoughts. Ok, maybe not literally "hear", but at least notice.
"I want chocolate."
"Laundry or book, book or laundry...definately book!"
"Do fish drink water?"
So I am not always super impressed with those thoughts...they often seem rather shallow, lazy, or even downright unpleasing to God. But on the rare occasion they do take a deeper turn.
One of the directions I have heard my thoughts go lately is in the direction of blind spots of the spiritual kind. It is so easy to identify blind spots in other people's lives. But not so easy to see my own.
Is it the noise and rush of life that fool me into thinking I don't suffer from my own personal blind spots? Am I unwilling to notice those blind spots because I like things the way they are? I don't want to have to change or put forth effort in that particular arena?
A string of totally unconnected conversations over the past few days has encouraged my heart that God would have me pursue this line of thought because I am unique and His relationship with me is unique and He has something ahead for me to learn. Perhaps some blind spots to correct. Or maybe just some thought patterns to re-align with His. Should be interesting!
"I want chocolate."
"Laundry or book, book or laundry...definately book!"
"Do fish drink water?"
So I am not always super impressed with those thoughts...they often seem rather shallow, lazy, or even downright unpleasing to God. But on the rare occasion they do take a deeper turn.
One of the directions I have heard my thoughts go lately is in the direction of blind spots of the spiritual kind. It is so easy to identify blind spots in other people's lives. But not so easy to see my own.
Is it the noise and rush of life that fool me into thinking I don't suffer from my own personal blind spots? Am I unwilling to notice those blind spots because I like things the way they are? I don't want to have to change or put forth effort in that particular arena?
A string of totally unconnected conversations over the past few days has encouraged my heart that God would have me pursue this line of thought because I am unique and His relationship with me is unique and He has something ahead for me to learn. Perhaps some blind spots to correct. Or maybe just some thought patterns to re-align with His. Should be interesting!
Friday, September 11, 2009
All at loose ends...
...because the kids are off at school and the house is very quiet. But I am not the only one at loose ends for something fun to do. Look what I found in my closet...
Doesn't he look guilty? And mischievous?
And yet, maybe it isn't such a bad idea to revel in a little shoe-therapy to distract me from the absence of kids in my home. (DSW, Macy's, or Payless for heavens sake...any of those would work I am sure!)
But some of my loose ends will be tying up soon enough. Bible Study starts up next Tuesday. There are outreaches to plan and Book Club ladies to keep up with. There is plenty of coffee to drink at coffee shops with women from the church. Opportunities in the kids school to help out. And I am on the para-pro sub list again this year in our school district. My days will be full again soon enough!
And yet that doesn't change the fact that four little bodies are missing from the house for a large portion of my day. It is almost enough to make me consider homeschooling again, though I know full well it isn't what God has for us right now. So to those of you called to that wonderful ministry, blessings and enjoy your very full, noisy, sometimes chaotic day with your kids! And I am off to rescue my shoes from Dublin!
Doesn't he look guilty? And mischievous?
And yet, maybe it isn't such a bad idea to revel in a little shoe-therapy to distract me from the absence of kids in my home. (DSW, Macy's, or Payless for heavens sake...any of those would work I am sure!)
But some of my loose ends will be tying up soon enough. Bible Study starts up next Tuesday. There are outreaches to plan and Book Club ladies to keep up with. There is plenty of coffee to drink at coffee shops with women from the church. Opportunities in the kids school to help out. And I am on the para-pro sub list again this year in our school district. My days will be full again soon enough!
And yet that doesn't change the fact that four little bodies are missing from the house for a large portion of my day. It is almost enough to make me consider homeschooling again, though I know full well it isn't what God has for us right now. So to those of you called to that wonderful ministry, blessings and enjoy your very full, noisy, sometimes chaotic day with your kids! And I am off to rescue my shoes from Dublin!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
All is well!
It is 11:00 AM and all is well!
*I was up at 7:30, ate my oatmeal, did some laundry, had my quiet time, did some laundry, filed my nails, did some laundry, dusted...and am still in my comfy pajamas.
(Hope no one comes to the door!)
*My kids are still blissfully asleep.
(They must be growing. School starts next week so enjoy it now, kids!)
*The puppy is fast asleep.
(And has been for the last 3.5 hours so he must be growing too.)
*My kitchen is completely clean and the dish washer is whirring away. This is an accomplishment only made possible by the above two observations.
(By the way, no one is allowed to eat anything today at all after they wake up!)
*I redecorated the dining room/Big D's study without spending a dime.
(A little bit of this from the kitchen, a little bit of that out of my storage closet, rearranging some pictures, and voila...newly redecorated dining room. It was very therapeutic! You should try it!)
Note: The fluffy dog in the background on the kitchen counter above is indeed Dinkleman, Dublin's little stuffed animal. He is awaiting his appt. with the plastic surgeon to re-attach his ear.)
*And I am about to plug in Pride and Prejudice (the BBC edition) as I intend, drum roll please, to iron Big D's shirts.
(Pick yourself up off the floor, Big D, and get back to work! And for those of you who don't know me--I do many housewifely things but I don't iron. But today I will.)
Hope all is well in your day also!
*I was up at 7:30, ate my oatmeal, did some laundry, had my quiet time, did some laundry, filed my nails, did some laundry, dusted...and am still in my comfy pajamas.
(Hope no one comes to the door!)
*My kids are still blissfully asleep.
(They must be growing. School starts next week so enjoy it now, kids!)
*The puppy is fast asleep.
(And has been for the last 3.5 hours so he must be growing too.)
*My kitchen is completely clean and the dish washer is whirring away. This is an accomplishment only made possible by the above two observations.
(By the way, no one is allowed to eat anything today at all after they wake up!)
*I redecorated the dining room/Big D's study without spending a dime.
(A little bit of this from the kitchen, a little bit of that out of my storage closet, rearranging some pictures, and voila...newly redecorated dining room. It was very therapeutic! You should try it!)
Note: The fluffy dog in the background on the kitchen counter above is indeed Dinkleman, Dublin's little stuffed animal. He is awaiting his appt. with the plastic surgeon to re-attach his ear.)
*And I am about to plug in Pride and Prejudice (the BBC edition) as I intend, drum roll please, to iron Big D's shirts.
(Pick yourself up off the floor, Big D, and get back to work! And for those of you who don't know me--I do many housewifely things but I don't iron. But today I will.)
Hope all is well in your day also!
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